CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
On the following week’s cake run, I was without Ellie again. But I was feeling much more confident about going solo this time.
I looked out for Mo at the first stop but she didn’t turn up. But at Risley Common, Rosie was there – again without Amelie, so I assumed her mum must still be visiting with them. Rosie hung back, letting the queue of customers go down as she looked at her phone, and I knew she was waiting to talk to me.
‘Guess what? I’ve got a stall at the market next Wednesday!’ she burst out, as soon as the last customer had gone. Her eyes gleamed with excitement.
‘Oh, my goodness, that’s amazing !’ I gave her a hug. ‘I’m so pleased you’re taking the first step.’
‘Thank you, Katja. My parents have helped me with the costs to get me started, and Mum’s being brilliant pitching in with organising everything.’
I drew back and smiled at her, feeling quite emotional myself. ‘It’s going to be a big success, I’m sure of it.’
She made a gleeful but apprehensive face. ‘Gosh, I hope you’re right. Mum’s extending her stay by two weeks so she can help with all the preparation and the cooking. So let’s hope it goes well because when she goes back to Spain, I’ll be on my own.’
‘It’ll be fine,’ I assured her. ‘You love cooking and it’s such a great atmosphere at the market. You’ll love it.’
I drove away feeling excited for Rosie.
Her news had cheered me out of the gloom that had descended after I’d told Richard I didn’t want to give our relationship another try. I’d been dreading breaking the news to him but in the end, he took it quite well. I think he’d known it was a shot in the dark on his part because I’d likely moved on, and I wondered if deep down he realised I was right to feel it wouldn’t work if we got back together.
For my part, I now realised that Richard and I had been growing apart for quite a while, and our priorities and values just weren’t the same anymore. We seemed different people from the time we first got together six years ago.
He asked if we could stay friends and I smiled grimly, thinking of how that had turned out for Caleb and Loretta.
But I said yes. As long as Richard wasn’t under the illusion that it could ever be anything else, I figured why not? But it was definitely a tricky situation...
I’d always said that if ever we got back together, I would be in charge. But now, I was realising I no longer had any interest in ‘calling the shots’ with Richard.
Seeing the wonderful hedgehog house Caleb had made for Maisie had helped me make up my mind about my future. I might well have been tempted to give Richard a second chance – but for one thing.
I’d met Caleb.
I knew he and I would never have another night together with Loretta on the scene. But really, that wasn’t the point.
Now that Caleb was in my world, it would be impossible for me to go back to Richard...
*****
My stop at the market in Lockley Meadow went off without incident. Neither Caleb nor Ivan appeared, and I told myself I was relieved. I just wanted to get the job done and get home.
At Primrose Wood, Judy didn’t show up, but towards the end of my stop, Bob appeared and joined the queue.
As I filled his box with four chocolate brownies, I happened to mention I’d missed seeing Judy, and I was interested to note the colour that flooded into his cheeks at the mention of her.
‘She’s lovely, isn’t she?’ I persisted. ‘So warm and friendly, and that dog of hers is adorable.’
‘Twix. Yes. Great dog.’ He hesitated. ‘As likeable as his owner.’
‘You’ve known each other a while, so Judy was telling me.’
‘Yes. Yes, since we were at school together.’
‘That’s a long time to like someone,’ I said with a smile and a twinkle in my eye.
He sighed. ‘Judy’s been so down since her husband died and I keep wondering if I should... you know. Try and cheer her up... ask her if she’d like to go for a drink with me.’
‘Oh, well, you should! I bet she’d say yes.’
He frowned. ‘How could I measure up to her husband? She was with him for forty years.’
I smiled. ‘You don’t have to “measure up”, Bob. You just have to be your lovely self.’
He grunted, as if he thought I was mad even suggesting such a thing.
‘Honestly, you should just casually ask Judy if she’d like to go out some time. It could just be a friends thing to start with.’
He nodded. ‘That’s true. It wouldn’t have to sound like I was asking her out on a date.’
‘It wouldn’t.’ I smiled. ‘Instead of avoiding her because you’re a bit shy, you should just talk to her and see what happens?’
‘Maybe.’ He still looked uncertain.
Suddenly, I spotted Judy herself, hurrying over to the van.
‘I thought I was going to miss you,’ she gasped, laughing and clasping her hand over her chest. ‘I haven’t run that fast since Woolworths were offering knock-down prices on Betamax video recorders!’
Bob laughed. ‘Ah, remember Betamax. I was a VHS person myself.’
‘Well, so was I. Eventually,’ grinned Judy. ‘Ooh, chocolate brownies. I’ll take four, please.’
‘Same order as Bob!’ I smiled as I popped the goodies into her paper bag.
‘Do you still have your video recorder?’ Bob asked her, and as I was serving another late customer, I was cheering him on inside. Yes! Keep going, Bob!
But after sending another pleased customer away with two large cheese and thyme scones, I realised the conversation between the two had dried up and Bob was about to say his goodbyes and walk off.
A plan formed in my mind. I had to act quickly.
‘Oh, no!’ I slapped my hand on my forehead. ‘I gave her the wrong change.’ I stared after the customer who’d just left. Then I turned back. ‘Listen, would you both look after the van for me while I run after her?’
Looking a little surprised, of course they agreed, and I dashed off after the unsuspecting customer. Luckily, after a while she turned right into another street and disappeared from view, so I was able to lurk at the corner out of sight of Judy and Bob, and observe what was happening back at the van.
It was looking good. Bob was essentially a prisoner now, so he was having to talk to her. And with a bit of luck, after my pep talk, maybe he’d pluck up the courage to ask Judy the million-dollar question...